Revolver cylinder lock

ABSTRACT

A lock bar is pivotally attached to the revolver frame and includes a finger normally spring-urged into locking engagement within a detent in the revolver cylinder. Actuating means on the hammer provides a pair of camming surfaces alternately engageable with the lock bar whereby, upon cocking of the hammer, a first camming surface vertically displaces the lock bar to momentarily extract the finger from the cylinder detent and when the hammer returns to its forwardmost position, a second camming surface laterally deflects the lock bar to allow passage of the actuating means without disturbing the finger engaged within the cylinder detent.

mteai States tent I 1 [111 3,3313% Casull 1 Aug. 27; 1974 REVOLVER CYLINDER LOCK Primary ExaminerSamuel Feinberg Assistant Examiner-C. T. Jordan [76] lnventor: Richard J. Casull, 3270 Del Mar a r. r v n A t rn y, g nt, or F zrm- Emory L. Groff; Emory L. Dr., Salt Lake City, Utah 84109 Groffv Jr. [22] Filed: May 31, 1973 21 Appl. No.2 365,638 AB TRAT A look bar is pivotally attached to the revolver frame 52] U S Cl 42/67 and includes a finger normally spring-urged into lock- [51] In} .Cl 1/00 g engagement within a detent in the revolver Cylim [58] Fieid 42/67 der. Actuating means on the hammer provides a pair of camming surfaces alternately engageable with the [56] References Cited lock bar whereby, upon cocking of the hammer, a first camming surface vertically displaces the lock bar to UNITED STTATES PATENTS momentarily extract the finger from the cylinder de- Smllh tent and when the hammer returns to forwardmost position, a second camming surface laterally deflects 5 ml W 556,563 3/l896 Smith 42/67 the lock bar to allow passage of the actuatmg means without disturbing the finger engaged within the cylinder detent.

8 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures PATENIED AUG 2 71974 l4 8' g 1Q REVOLVER CYLINDER LOCK This invention relates generally to firearms. and more particularly, to an improved lock mechanism for the cylinder of a revolver.

As is well known to those skilled in the art, a revolver includes a mechanism adapted to sequentially lock each chamber of the cylinder in proper registry with the firing pin on the one hand and the bore of the barrel on the other hand. A well known manner of accomplishing the foregoing is to provide, usually in the bottom of the frame opening provided for the cylinder, a displaceable lock finger adapted to sequentially engage a plurality of detents provided in the exterior periphery of the cylinder, which detents correspond in number to the number of chambers within any particular cylinder.

Most revolvers generally operate on the same principle insofar as the rotation of the cylinder is concerned, whether or not the revolver is of the single action or double action type. Briefly stated, the sequence is as follows. The cylinder is locked when the hammer and its firing pin are all the way forward in a position of rest or immediately following discharge of the revolver. Upon rearward displacement of the hammer to cock the firearm, the cylinder lock is disengaged long enough to permit advancement of the next chamber of the cylinder to the uppermost position of alignment with the barrel and firing pin. When the firearm is fully cocked, or the hammer is in its rearwardmost position, the cylinder lock is engaged and must remain so until after the hammer returns to its forwardmost position.

Many of the prior known locking devices for revolver cylinders comprise a finger extending into the frame opening provided for the cylinder and which must be operated in the above described manner by means of cams or levers positioned within he interior of the revolver frame. Such an arrangement obviously leads to an expensive construction in view of the limited space available for the cylinder lock actuating mechanism and the resultant necessary intricacy of the components.

Accordingly, one of the primary objects of the present invention is to provide an improved revolver cylinder lock including a unitary lock bar mounted exteri orly of the revolver frame.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved revolver cylinder lock including a longitudinal lock bar pivotally connected to the revolver frame and actuated by means of a camming member carried by the hammer.

A further object of the present invention is to provide an improved revolver cylinder lock including a pivoted lock bar having a vertically curved end portion cooperating with camming means on the hammer and which is vertically displaced thereby only during rearward movement of the hammer.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide an improved revolver cylinder lock cooperating with a two-way cam carried by the revolver hammer, which cam vertically displaces the cylinder lock during rearward movement thereof and laterally displaces a portion of the cylinder lock during forward movement thereof.

With these and other objects in view which will more readily appear as the nature of the invention is better understood, the invention consists in the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully described, illustrated and claimed.

A preferred and practical embodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary side elevation, partly in section, of the cylinder lock of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a top plan view illustrating the cylinder lock of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 1 and illustrates the action of the cylinder lock as the revolver hammer is being moved to its rearward position.

FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 1 and illustrates the position of the cylinder lock as the revolver hammer is moving towards its forwardmost position.

FIG. 5 is a top plan view of the structure of FIG. 4 and illustrates the lateral deflection of the rear and central sections of the cylinder lock bar.

Similar reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several figures of the drawing.

Referring now to the drawing, particularly FIG. 1, the present invention will be understood to include a lock bar, generally designated 1, adapted to be incorporated in the frame 2 of a revolver having the usual hammer 3. The trigger and sear mechanism and related structure associated with the actuation of the hammer 3 has been purposely omitted for reasons of clarity inasmuch as the instant invention may be practiced in combination with practically any type of revolver and is not dependent upon any particular associated structure.

The lock bar 1 includes a depending finger 4 vertically movable through the aperture 5 provided through the frame 2 so that, when in the normal at-rest position of this figure, its lowermost portion will be disposed within the confines of the cylinder opening 6 of the frame within which is situated the cylinder 7. A plurality of lock detents 8 are formed within the periphery 9 of the cylinder and correspond in number to the number of chambers provided in the cylinder 7. Detents in a cylinder periphery are well known in the art, and various fomrs of locking means have been devised for cooperation with the detents to retain the cylinder in a fixed condition following rotation of the cylinder to present the next chamber therein in alignment with the firing pin 10 and bore of the revolver barrel. A common example of such a lock device includes a finger mounted within the revolver frame and projecting upwardly through the bottom surface of the cylinder opening 6 to sequentially engage the lock detents 8, which lock finger is in turn actuated in a cyclic manner by means of cams and levers within the frame and connected to the trigger and/or hammer structure contained therein.

By the present arrangement, a much more simplified unitary lock bar 1 is provided which is carried exteriorly of the frame 2 in a longitudinal groove 11 formed in the top wall 12 of the revolver frame and, as will be seen in FIG. 2, located along an axis laterally offset from the central longitudinal axis of the revolver. The lock bar 1 is pivotally attached to the frame within the groove 11 by means of a pivot pin 13 passing through its forward portion intermediate a central body section 14 and front extension 15. Extending from the rear of the central body section adjacent the front of the rear body section 16 is the finger 4 which is normally urged to the position as shown in FIG. 1 by means of a suitable compression spring 17 housed within a bore 18 in the frame and constantly bearing upon the undersurface of the lock bar extension to maintain the finger 4 engageable within the cylinder lock detent 8 located in the topmost portion of the cylinder 7.

Actuation of the lock bar 1 is automatic during the rearward displacement of the hammer 3 regardless of whether the revolver is of the single or double acting type. Disposed on one side 3a of the hammer is a camming lobe, generally designated 19, and which serves as actuating means to vertically displace the lock bar 1 about the pivot pin 13 during retraction of the hammer for a brief moment immediately following the initial rearward movement of the hammer from the position as shown in FIG. 1 of the drawing. It will be understood that the usual operation of a revolver involves the unlocking of the cylinder locking means, followed by rotation of the cylinder to advance the next cartridge therein to a point of alignment between the hammer firing pin and cylinder bore, both of which actions occur during the rearward movement of the hammer to its cocked position whereby, when the hammer is fully cocked, the cylinder locking means must again be fully engaged to securely retain the ready cylinder prior to the forward movement of the hammer during firing of the revolver.

In the present instance, the foregoing operations are regulated as the camming lobe or actuating means 19 sequentially strikes the curved or actuating arm 20 of the rear body section 16 of the lock bar during both the rearward and forward movement of the hammer 3. The specific structural details of both the camming lobe 19 and lock bar 1 must be appreciated to fully understand the cooperating action between these two components during the practice of the present invention.

The camming lobe 19 will be seen to comprise a curved periphery 21 serving as one camming surface and an angular outer face 22 serving as an additional camming surface. The curved periphery 21 may be circular, as shown in the drawing, while the angular outer face 22 provides a sloping surface extending outwardly from the hammer side face 3a a gradually increasing distance from the front or leading edge 22a to the rear or trailing edge 22b thereof, as shown most clearly in FIG. 5 of the drawing.

During operation of the present invention, as the hammer 3 leaves the at-rest position of FIG. I and begins its rearward movement towards the cocked position, the curved peripheral surface 21 of the camming lobe initially engages the arcuate surface 23 forming the bottom portion of the lock bar curved arm 20 so that continued rearward movement of the hammer will be seen to vertically displace or elevate all of the lock bar 1 extending rearwardly from its pivot pin 13 so that the structure will appear as in FIG. 3 of the drawing, whereupon the finger 4 of the lock bar will be fully retracted from its prior engagement within the uppermost lock detent 8 of the revolver cylinder 7. It will be noted that the hammer has traveled only a short distance in a rearward direction at this time and continued rearward movement of the hammer will be understood to cause subsequent advancement of the cylinder to present the next chamber therein in readiness for firing and, as this additional rearward movement takes place, the camming lobe on the hammer will completely clear the curved arm 20 so that the lock bar finger 4 will be spring-urged downwardly into engagement with the periphery 9 of the cylinder and will be free to be urged into the next cylinder lock detent 8 as it is arcuately displaced into position immediately beneath the finger.

With the revolver in the fully cocked condition, the hammer 3 will be located in its rearwardmost position and the lock bar 1 will be disposed in the same position as shown in FIG. 1. It will thus follow that, when the firearm is fired and the hammer with its firing pin proceeds forwardly, means must be provided to allow passage of the camming lobe 19 past the curved cam 20 of the lock bar with a minimum of interference to the movement of the hammer. The structural means for achieving this action will be clear from a review of FIGS. 4 and 5 of the drawing wherein it will be seen that, as the hammer proceeds forwardly from a cocked position, the inner surface 24 of the lock bar curved arm 20 will be engaged by the leading edge portion 22a of the angular outer face 22 of the camming lobe and continued advancement of the hammer forces the curved arm 20 to be laterally displaced in a progressive manner as shown in FIG. 5, until the inner surface 24 of the lock bar clears the angular outer face of the camming lobe and the lock bar and hammer are positioned as shown in FIG. 1.

The aforementioned cooperation between the angular outer face 22 and lock bar inner surface 24 is facilitated by a specific construction of the lock bar 1 as shown in FIGS. 2 and 5, wherein it will be seen that the central body section 14 of the lock bar is provided with an inner relief 25 comprising a cut-out area on the inside of the lock bar which is bounded at its rear by a primary fulcrum 26 and at its front by a secondary fulcrum 27 both of which fulcrums comprise the full width or thickness of the lock bar and form a close vertical sliding fit with the juxtaposed side walls of the groove 11. An inside clearance 25a is thus provided between the central body section 14 and opposed groove wall. The rear body section 16 of the lock bar is formed on its opposite or outer side with an outer relief 28 provid ing within the groove 11 an outside clearance 28a. The action of the lock bar during the firing or forward movement of the hammer will now be more fully appreciated when considering FIG. 5 of the drawing wherein it will be observed that lateral outward displacement of the curved arm 20 of the lock bar is unimpeded by the groove 11 in the revolver frame due to the outside clearance 28a therein and this outward displacement is transmitted as an inward displacement of the central body section 14 in view of the two fulcrums 26 and 27 thereby offering minimum resistance to the falling hammer and not affecting the locked condition of the lock bar 1. 1

I claim:

l. A cylinder lock for a revolver having a frame and a displaceable hammer including, a cylinder revolvably mounted within said frame and provided with a plurality of detents in its periphery, a longitudinally extending lock bar disposed above said cylinder and pivotally attached to the upper portion of said frame at a point ahead of said detents, a finger depending from said lock bar engageable within said detents to lock said cylinder with respect to said frame, said hammer having an exposed vertical planar side surface, said lock bar provided with an exposed depending rearmost arm having a vertical planar inner surface normally parallel to and juxtaposed said hammer side surface, means normally urging said lock bar arm and finger downwardly, an actuating lobe having a peripheral surface and an angular outer face carried by said hammer and projecting laterally from said side surface, said lobe peripheral surface disposed forward of said lock bar arm when said hammer is fully forward, whereby when said hammer is moved rearwardly said lobe peripheral surface engages with and deflects said lock bar arm upwardly to momentarily raise said lock bar finger following which said lock bar urging means returns said arm and finger downwards and as said hammer returns forwardly said lobe angular outer face engages said lock bar arm inner surface to deflect said arm laterally until said lobe passes forwardly of said arm.

2. A cylinder lock bar according to claim 1 wherein, said frame is provided with a longitudinal groove in the top portion thereof laterally adjacent the center-line of said frame, said lock bar mounted within said groove, and said frame includes an aperture communicating with said groove and said cylinder and through which said lock bar finger is disposed.

3. A cylinder lock bar according to claim 1 wherein, said arm is curved downwardly into the path of said lobe and said lobe peripheral surface is provided with a curved peripheral camming surface.

4. A cylinder lock for a revolver having a displaceable hammer including a lock bar pivotally attached to a revolver frame, said frame provided with a longitudinal groove in the top thereof laterally adjacent the centerline of said frame, said lock bar mounted within said groove, a cylinder revolvably mounted within said frame and provided with a plurality of detents in its periphery, a finger on said lock bar engageable within said detents to lock said cylinder with respect to said frame, said frame including an aperture communicating with said groove and said cylinder and through which said lock bar finger is disposed, said lock bar provided with a rear body section having an arm juxtaposed said hammer, said rear body section having a thickness less than the width of said groove and actuating means carried by said hammer engageable with said arm to pivotally displace said lock bar and extract said finger from one said detent as said hammer is displaced rearwardly from its forwardmost position and engageable with said lock bar upon forward movement of said hammer to laterally deflect said arm.

5. A cylinder lock bar according to claim 4 wherein, said actuating means includes a lobe on one side of said hammer, said lobe provided with a peripheral camming surface engageable with said lock bar arm upon cocking of said hammer to momentarily vertically displace said finger from one said detent, and said lobe also provided with an outer face camming surface engageable with said arm during forward movement of said hammer to laterally displace said arm without vertically displacing said arm.

6. A cylinder lock bar according to claim 4 wherein, said rear body section is provided with a relief on its outside surface, said lock bar including a central body section having a thickness less than the width of said groove and provided with a relief on its inside surface whereby, when said arm is laterally deflected outwardly said central body section is laterally deflected inwardly.

7. A cylinder lock bar according to claim 6 wherein, said lock bar includes a primary fulcrum area intermediate said central and rear body sections and a secondary fulcrum area forward of said central body section, and both said fulcrum areas are of a thickness substantially equal to the width of said groove.

8. A cylinder lock bar according to claim 7 wherein,

said finger depends from said primary fulcrum area.

=l l l 

1. A cylinder lock for a revolver having a frame and a displaceable hammer including, a cylinder revolvably mounted within said frame and provided with a plurality of detents in its periphery, a longitudinally extending lock bar disposed above said cylinder and pivotally attached to the upper portion of said frame at a point ahead of said detents, a finger depending from said lock bar engageable within said detents to lock said cylinder with respect to said frame, said hammer having an exposed vertical planar side surface, said lock bar provided with an exposed depending rearmost arm having a vertical planar inner surface normally parallel to and juxtaposed said hammer side surface, means normally urging said lock bar arm and finger downwardly, an actuating lobe having a peripheral surface and an angular outer face carried by said hammer and projecting laterally from said side surface, said lobe peripheral surface disposed forward of said lock bar arm when said hammer is fully forward, whereby when said hammer is moved rearwardly said lobe peripheral surface engages with and deflects said lock bar arm upwardly to momentarily raise said lock bar finger following which said lock bar urging means returns said arm and finger downwards and as said hammer returns forwardly said lobe angular outer face engages said lock bar arm inner surface to deflect said arm laterally until said lobe passes forwardly of said arm.
 2. A cylinder lock bar according to claim 1 wherein, said frame is provided with a longitudinal groove in the top portion thereof laterally adjacent the center-line of said frame, said lock bar mounted within said groove, and said frame includes an aperture communicating with said groove and said cylinder and through which said lock bar finger is disposed.
 3. A cylinder lock bar according to claim 1 wherein, said arm is curved downwardly into the path of said lobe and said lobe peripheral surface is provided with a curveD peripheral camming surface.
 4. A cylinder lock for a revolver having a displaceable hammer including a lock bar pivotally attached to a revolver frame, said frame provided with a longitudinal groove in the top thereof laterally adjacent the centerline of said frame, said lock bar mounted within said groove, a cylinder revolvably mounted within said frame and provided with a plurality of detents in its periphery, a finger on said lock bar engageable within said detents to lock said cylinder with respect to said frame, said frame including an aperture communicating with said groove and said cylinder and through which said lock bar finger is disposed, said lock bar provided with a rear body section having an arm juxtaposed said hammer, said rear body section having a thickness less than the width of said groove and actuating means carried by said hammer engageable with said arm to pivotally displace said lock bar and extract said finger from one said detent as said hammer is displaced rearwardly from its forwardmost position and engageable with said lock bar upon forward movement of said hammer to laterally deflect said arm.
 5. A cylinder lock bar according to claim 4 wherein, said actuating means includes a lobe on one side of said hammer, said lobe provided with a peripheral camming surface engageable with said lock bar arm upon cocking of said hammer to momentarily vertically displace said finger from one said detent, and said lobe also provided with an outer face camming surface engageable with said arm during forward movement of said hammer to laterally displace said arm without vertically displacing said arm.
 6. A cylinder lock bar according to claim 4 wherein, said rear body section is provided with a relief on its outside surface, said lock bar including a central body section having a thickness less than the width of said groove and provided with a relief on its inside surface whereby, when said arm is laterally deflected outwardly said central body section is laterally deflected inwardly.
 7. A cylinder lock bar according to claim 6 wherein, said lock bar includes a primary fulcrum area intermediate said central and rear body sections and a secondary fulcrum area forward of said central body section, and both said fulcrum areas are of a thickness substantially equal to the width of said groove.
 8. A cylinder lock bar according to claim 7 wherein, said finger depends from said primary fulcrum area. 